253663 ORIGIN�L TO CITY CL6RK 253563
� CITY OF ST. PAUL FLENCIL NO.
OFFICE OF THE CITY CLERK
OUNCIL E UTIO ENERAL FORM
COMMI49�IONE L � ATE
RESOLVED, That the Saint Paul City Council hereby approves the
Department of Public Works report on Solid Waste in a letter dated
April 19, 1971 , a copy of which is attached to this resolution, and
do hereby instruct the Cortrnissioner of Public Works to forward a
copy of this resolution along with a copy of such report to the
Minnesota Pollution Control Agency.
APR 2 019�
COUNCILMEN Adopted by the Council 19—
Yeas Nays APR 2 0 i97�
Butler
Caxlson 19—
Levine Tn Favor
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Sprafka U yo
Tedesco ASainst
Mr. President, McCarty /'FO'��PP_0
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APR 2 4 71 Asst. Corporat�on �ou !
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RICHARD A. SCHNARR CI T Y O F SAI N T PA U L ROGER M. CONWAY
Chief Engineer Deputy Commissioner
Capital of Minnesota
DEPARTMENTOf PUBLIC WORKS
234 City Hall & Court House 55102
WILLIAM E. CARLSON
Commissioner
April 19, 1971
To the Honorable Mayor and
Members of the City Council
Gentlemen and Madam:
Subject: Report to the City
Council on Solid Waste
The City of St. Paul presentiy has rules and regulations provided in
various sections of the legislative code which do control the collection,
storage, and disposal of garbage and refuse and which are in reasonable
compliance with the rules and regulations of the Minnesota Pollution
Control Agency; and, while the City of St. Paul did in fact find that the
City did not have adequate hauling cepacity as of October 28, 1g70, we at
the present time have licensed 16 more firucks than were licensed in 1g70,
and the Public Works Department plans to issue tempora ry licenses for
additional trucks, which may be regular dump trucks with canvas covers,
for hauling solid waste until such time as additional trucks which meet
the requirements would become available if the need should arise to handle
all of the solid waste developed in the City of St. Paul . With this plan
in mind, the determination was made that the City of St. Paul did have an
adequate collection system to handle the volume of solid waste and a burn-
ing ban ordinance was passed which was effective March 5, 1971 . Therefore,
the City of St. Paul is not, in our opinion, in violation of the Minnesota
Regulations APC $, SW 3, and SW 4 regarding the collection and disposal of
solid waste and the required outside burning restriction at this time;
and it is most certainly the intent of the City of St. Paul to comply with
all reasonable interpretations of all state requireme�ts.
While the City did request an extension of time for the required compliance
with the burning ban, because of the hardship that such burning ban would
impose on some of the citizens of St. Paul , we had, in fact, passed an ordi-
nance which imposed a ban on burning after March 5, 1971 , within the City
of St. Paul . The Minnesota Pollution Control Agency turned down the City
of St. Paul �s request for an extension of the burning ban; however, the
Agency staff, in order to treat the City of St. Paul in the same manner as
it planned for the City of Minneapolis, indicated that it will not request
criminal prosecution by the Ramsey County attorney or the City of St. Paul
for violations of the statewide burning ban and will not so request prior
to .luly 5, 1971 .
�-o
' , City Council
Page 2
in order to set out the items of agreement discussed by the Agency staff
and the Public Works staff, we will review the various items discussed;
they are as follows:
1 . Effective imnediately, the City of St. Paul witl initiate a
public information and education program for all St. Paul
residents explaining the requirements of state and city laws,
regulations, and ordinances relating to adequate refuse col-
lection service and open backyard burning. This educational
program shall inform all residents that the Minnesota Pollution
Control Agency (MPCA) regulations, which have the force and
effect of state law, ban all backyard burning and have been in
effect since March 5� 1971 . Said information and education
program shall be aimed at removing the existing doubt as to
the legal and proper method of disposing of trash and other
waste including specifically clarification of the following
questions:
a. The type of container residents must provide for the
pickup of their waste, including the questions of
whether plastic containers are permitted and whether
metal containers are required;
b. The requirements, if any, regarding separation of
garbage, paper, cans, and bottles; and
c. The locations at which the refuse containers must be
placed for pickup.
2. The City of St. Paul has closed its Fish Hatchery landfill in
accordance with previously agreed upon plans between the City
and the Agency as of March 11 , 1971 , and is in the process of
final covering and finishing on the site; and it is the City's
plan, which is approved by the Agency, to close the Pig's Eye
landfill by July 1 , 1972.
3. The Public Works Department Citizens Advisory Committee on
Solid Waste Coliection on April 2, 1971 , reported on solid
waste collection and is recommending that the City provide
a higher level of solid waste collection than is provided at
this time. The Public Works Department is presently preparing
revised solid waste regulations for the City fo� combined
collection which will include the Committee's recommendation on
solid waste collection. It is anticipated that such ordinance
will be submitted to the City Councit so that it can be acted
upon and made effective about June 1 , 1971 .
4. If such ordinance is passed, including the combined solid
waste collectlon system on a city oriented system for one
through four family dwelling units as recommended by the
Citizens Committee, the Public Works Department will
institute a coilection system as provided in such ordinance
as soon as possible by assigning city crews to certain routes
and taking bids for and awarding contracts to private haulers
for the additional routes required to provide service to the
entire city as close as possible to July l , 1971 .
" � City Council
,
Page 3
5. In addition, with the closing of the Pig's Eye landfill by
July, 1972, the Public Works Department is giving considera-
tion to the disposal of solid waste beyond July, 1972, and
have under consideration, and working with the Ramsey County
Solid Waste Ca�nittee, new landfitl sites located outside of
Ramsey County in cooperation with Washington County, Dakota
County, and Anoka County. With this in mind, the Public Works
Department is also considering the need for facilities, such
as transfer stations within the City of St. Paul , in order to
provide an effective and efficient collection and disposal
system in conjunction with these proposed landfill sites
outside of Ramsey County.
While there are many portions of the discussion items that are difficult to
pin down to a specific date, insofar as when various portions of the proposal
will be put into effect, the Public Works Department is planning to time the
necessary action to institute those activities that need to be done by a
specific date in order to fit into such things as the closing of Pig's Eye
landfill , so as not to hold up compliance with the previous agreements with
the Minnesota Pollution Control Agency.
In order to inform the Minnesota Pollution Control Agency of our intent to
comply with all reasonable interpretations of their rules and regulafiions, I
would ask the City Council to approve this letter by resolution and instruct
the undersigned to forward a copy of it and a copy of the resolution to the
Minnesota Pollution Control Agency as an indication of our intent to comply.
Very truly yours,
���
Wi liam E. Carlson
Commissioner of Public Works
WEC:RAS:If
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